14 remarkable major events

Published on 1/27/2016 by

Messe Zurich as a meeting point for the Dalai Lama's visit, or a hemp fair in Basel: the MCH Group's facilities have always been used to stage other major events apart from MCH exhibitions and congresses. And some of these have been bizarre events.

Still one of the most controversial to date is the "Body Worlds" exhibition with Gunther von Hagen's plastinated, primarily human bodies on show. The travelling exhibition even came to Messe Basel twice, for a period of several months on each occasion: in 1999 and 2011.

The exhibition buildings in Basel are popular locations for major events, including the 500-year celebrations for the University of Basel in 1960, the Gymnaestrada world gymnastics exhibition in 1969, the Cannatrade hemp fair in 2008, the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in the Congress Center Basel in 2014, and the Praise Camp at Christmas 2014, when more than 6400 young people came to pray and sing together.

The Dalai Lama visits Zurich

In 2005, Messe Zurich converted Hall 9 with a restaurant and market into a meeting point for the Dalai Lama's visit. The leader of the Tibetans had attended a congress in the Hallenstadion. In 2006, the Swiss television channel, DRS, recorded the quiz programme "Pisa – Contest of the Cantons" in Hall 9, and two years later "Euro 2008 – The big City Challenge". The entrance hall is also frequently used for advertising purposes – such as for portraying an airport. In 2007, during Züspa, a special show was staged by the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (VBS). The VBS constructed a large number of re-usable structures in wood for this show, including a footbridge from the forecourt of the exhibition centre to the racetrack.

First Swiss performance of Genesis at Beaulieu Lausanne

It was at Beaulieu Lausanne in 1973 that Phil Collins' rock band Genesis staged its first Swiss performance. And after Céline Dion won the Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland in 1988, the contest was staged at Beaulieu the following year. The International Olympic Committee met on our premises in 1984, 1986, 1993, 1997 and 1999. The close ties with the IOC are still clearly visible on the main building: the five Olympic rings still hang there.